Method of making shoes



P. F. W. C. KRIPPENDORF.

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1917.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

Unitas Parana caries.

PAUL IE. W. C. KRIPPENDORF, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORI BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 15921.

Application filed. March 31, 1917. Serial No. 158,982.

To all whom it may con-061m:

Be it known that 1, PAUL F. W. G. Kerr- PENDORF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of Making Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes and more particularly to an improved method of making shoes of the type commonly termed turn shoes.

In accordance with one method of manufacturing turn shoes where it is desired to use a previously molded counter and a heel seat and shank member, the shoe upper is first secured to the sole and the shoe turned right side out and then the counter and heel seat and shank member are each loosely inserted in the shoe and the shoe relasted on its second last. This procedure has not been productive of entirelysatisfactory results principally because'the relasting operation tends to displace both the counter and the shank member from their proper positions in the shoe, which not only detracts from the appearance of the finished shoe but is also detrimental to the fitting qualities of.

the shoe. Furthermore, the wings of counters extend forwardly beyond the heel breast line of the shoe so that in the practice of the described method, and especially in making shoes having sewed seats, the wings of the counter have no permanent attachment to other portions of the shoe. This condition allows the wings of the counter to spread, thus impairing its efficiency as a support for the foot, besides making it difiicu'lt to obtain the desired neat appearance for the shank portion of the shoe.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of making turn shoes by the practice of which a previously molded counter and a heel seat and shank member may be incorporated in a turn shoe with greater accuracy and facility than was possible by methods heretofore practised, and whereby the resulting shoe has better fitting qualities and is of neater appearance than the turn shoes produced by prior methods. In one of its aspects the invention consists in permanently associating together a previously molded counter and a heel and shank member in the relative positions they are to occupy in the finished shoe prior to their incorporation in the shoe, thenincorporating said permanently associated counter and heel seat and shank member in the sewed and turned shoe with the counter disposed between the upper and lining and thereafter relasting the shoe. In the preferred manner of practising the invention, the previously formed counter and the heel seat and shank member are first permanently secured together in their final positions on the second last, or a form corresponding functionally thereto for this purpose, in which case the assembled members, when incorporated in the shoe prior to relasting, accurately assume their proper relation to other parts of the shoe and are not displaced when the second last is forced into the shoe. In nailed heel seat work the heel end of the upper is lasted over on to the heel seat in the usual manner and the ac: curacy with which the counter is assembled in the shoe facilitates the conformation of the upper-to the last at the heel and eliminates a considerable part of the ironing and finishing operation now necessary.

In another of its aspects the invention con 'sists in first providing a previously molded counter having a bottom piece shaped to fit inside the counter, then permanently attaching the forward ends or wings of the counter to said bottom piece in their final positions so as to prevent the counter wings from spreading apart, both while the shoe is being made and during wear of the shoe. and subsequently inserting the counter between the upper and lining of a sewed and turned shoe. In the illustrated manner of practising the invention, this is accomplished by permanently securing the Wings of the counter which extend beyond the heel breast line to the heel and shank member in the relative position the counter is to assume in the finished shoe. This procedure is of particular importance when practised in connection with turn shoes having sewed heel seats since it insures the counter against displacement in the shoe and maintains the molded condition of the counter.

The shoe produced by my method when practised in the preferred manner conforms more accurately and uniformly to thelast than the turn shoes made by prior methods and, by reason of the permanentassociation of the counter and heel and shank in their proper position in the shoe, provides an efficient support for the foot when the shoe is worn.

The preferred manner in which the improved method of the present invention may be successfully practised and the shoe producedwith the aid of this invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and the invention! will then be pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the heel portion of a second last or a heel form with a previously molded counter and a heel seat and shank stiffener assembled in accordance with one step of the method of said shoe having the counter and heel and shank member incorporated therein inaccordance with the present invention.

11 Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly insection, of the completed shoe.

Fig. 5 is a modification showing the step of preliminarily assembling a molded counter and with a different form-of heel and shank member in the relative positions they are to assume in the completed shoe.

In carrying out the method of the present invention in one manner in which it has been successfully practised a counter 2, which has been molded or otherwise conformed to its final shape prior to its incorporation into the shoe and has been provided with an inturned heel seat flange 4, is applied to a last or similarly shaped form 6, together with a heel and shank member 8 as shown in Fig. 1. The form upon which these two, members are assembled is preferably the second last upon which the shoe is to be finished after being turned, since it corresponds to the size of the shoe being made, whereas the first -last, upon which the shoe is sewed, is ordinarily somewhat smaller than the final last. In the illustration in Figs. 1- 1 the heel and shank member 8 comprises a piece of leather having a portion 10 adapted to extend up the sides of the last and fit the inside shank portion of the foot. This shank member is of peculiar construction being buckled through its shank portion to form an arch corresponding to the arched conformation of the shank portion of the foot. This is obtained by separating the heel portion of the member into inside and outside portions 12 and 14 respectively by a cut extending from approximately the heel breast line to its rear edge and then moving the inside,

ber 20 inserted between'the inside portion a 12 and the offset portion 14 of the shank member and secured by fastenings 22. The heel end of this shank member. 8 is then shaped to adapt it to fit inside the counter 2 and the members applied to'the last 6 in their relative positions and permanently attached together by fastenings 24 inserted through the inturned flange 4 of the counter 2 and clenched upon a metallic plate provided on the heel. end of the last as shown in Fig. 1. It will thus be seen that the counter 2 and shank member 8 are both permanently and accurately assembled together in the relative positions they are to occupy in the finished shoe and the forward ends or wings of the counter extending beyond the heel breast line-firmly anchored by the fastenings 24 against spreading when the assembled counter and heel and shank member are incorporated in the shoe. Owing to the peculiar conditions attendant upon the manufacture of turn shoes it is necessary, particularly in turn shoes having nailed seats, to provide a heel seat member or bottom piece for the counter upon which the heel end of the upper may be lasted and this heel seat member is usually formed as a part of the shankstiffening element for the shoe. The present invention, however, .isnot limited in its application to the use of a combined heel seat andshank member such as illustrated, but may utilize advantageously a counter having a separate bottom piece to which the counter is secured.

The upper 26'and lining 28 of the shoe are secured inside out to a channeled and shouldered sole 30 in the customary manner of making turn shoes as indicated by Fig. 2. For nailed heel seat shoes such as illustrated in the drawings, the attachment of the upper 26 to the sole 30 terminates at approxisecond last 6 is forced into the shoe, thelining 28 at the heel end of the shoe is folded ne'raeea out of the shoe and the previously assembled counter .2 and shank member 8 inserted-in the shoe upper, the counter 2 being disposed between the upper 26 and lining 28 and .the lining folded back into position. The shoe is now ready for the relasting operation which consists in forcing the second last 6 into the shoe. Since the counter and shank member are so associated as accurately to fit the heel end of the last in the positions they are to assume in the finished shoe, a con siderable saving is efiected in the labor involved in relasting the shoe over prior relasting operations and the tendency of the relasting operation to strain the seams of the shoe and distort the uppers is reduced to a minimum. Moreover, the wings of the counter are caused to embrace the sides of the last, particularly in the shank, thus preventing the upper from fitting loosely about 7 the heel end of the last. The heel end of the shoe is then lasted in the usual manner, the upper 26 being lasted over on to the inturned flange 4 of the counter and the heel seat portion of the shank member 8 and secured by fastenings 32-. Subsequent operations on the shoe including attaching a heel 33 are performed in the customary manner followed in turn shoemaking. After the final last 6 has been removed from the shoe the free marginal portion 34 of the lining 28 is turned out and cemented to the upper" face of'the heel seat and shank member 8 and the usual slip sole 35 inserted in the shoe. If a turn shoe having a sewed heel seat is to be produced, the previously assembled counter 2 and shank member 8 are incorporated in the shoe, the last inserted, and the shoe completed as in a shoe havin a nailed heel seat. After the shoe is finishe and the last, Withdrawn, however, the counter and shank memher are preferably attached to the heel portion of the sole by additional f'astenings inserted through the heel end of the shank member.

In Fig. 5 is shown a previously molded counter 2 which has been assembled with a common form of heel seat and .shank member. This t pe of shank member comprises a fiber-boar member 36 shaped to the longitudinal and transverse curvatures of the last in the shank and having a heel portion shaped to fit inside the counter and a portion extending approximately to the ball line ofthe shoe. The underside of the member 36 is'provided with a tempered metal strip 38 for reinforcing the fiber-board member 36.

It will be noted that by the practice of the 4 method above described, the location of the the upper may be conformed to the shape of the counter and therefore the heel end of the last without necessitating the additional shaping of the counter to the last by the application of a hot iron. In prior methods ofturn shoemaking the fastenin s attaching the counter to the sole necessari' y could extend only to approximately the heel breast line, otherwise they would appear on the outer'surface of the sole. It is to be noted that by the method herein disclosed the forward ends or wings of the counter 2 may be permanently anchored against spreading regardless of the distance they extend beyond the heel breast line, which feature is of especial importance in womens high-grade shoes, since the counters of such shoes invariably extend a considerable distance beyond the heel breast line of the shoe. It is to be noted that the present invention when practised in connection with turn shoes having sewed heel seats enables a previously molded counter'to be incorporated in the shoe after it has been sewed and turned right side out since the counter is maintained in 2 its molded condition and held in its proper position in the shoe by reason of its permanent attachment to the shank member.

Having explained the nature of my invention and set forth fully how it may bepractised, what ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. That improvement in the art of making turn shoes which comprises attaching a shoe upper and lining inside out to a sole, turning the shoe right side out, assembling a previously molded counter and a previously molded shank member in the relative positions they are to occupy in the finished shoe, the counter being .of a length to project beyond the heel breast line of the shoe, permanently attaching theflwings of the counter at their forward ends beyond the heel breast line to the shank member, positioning theassembled counter and shank member in the heel end of the shoe with the counter disposed between the upper and lin ing and then inserting a second last and completing the manufacture of the shoe including the attaching of a heel.

2. That improvement in the art of making turn shoes which consists in attaching a shoe upper inside out to a sole, leaving sole a distance approximating the length of the counter wings and the heel portion of the upper unattached to the sole, turning the shoe right side out, permanently secur- .1 the margin of the linin unattached tothe ing together a previously molded counter and a shank member in the relative positions they are to occupy in the finished shoe, positioning said assembled counter and shank piece inthe heel end of the shoe with the counter disposed between th up perand the lining and the shank piece 00- cupying its normal position in the shoe, lasting the heel portion of the upper on to the counter, fastening the heel end of the sole to the shoe and then completing the shoe in the usual manner. I

3. That improvement in the art of making turn shoes which consists in attaching a shoe upper inside out to a sole, withdrawing the last and'turning the shoe right side out, assembling a prevlously molded counter and a longitudinally curved shank member in the relative positions they are to occupy in the finished shoe, securing the forward ends of the counter to the shank member in said positions, inserting the assembled counter and shank member in the shoe with the counter disposed between the upper and lining and then inserting a second last in the shoe and completing it in the usual manner.

4:. That improvement in the art of making turn shoes which consists in attaching a shoe upper inside out to a sole, turning the shoe right side out, assembling a previously molded counter'having an inturned heel seat flange together with a previously molded shank member having a heel portion adapted to fit inside the counter in the relative positions the two parts are to assume in the finished shoe and permanently securing the portions of the flange projecting beyond the heel breast line to the shank member, inserting said assembled counter and shank member in the shoe with the counter disposed between the upper and lining and then relasting the shoe and, completing it in the usual manner.

5. That improvement in the art of making shoes which consists in attaching a shoe upper inside out to a sole, turning the shoe right side out, assembling a counter which is molded to the final shape desired in the finished shoe together with a shank member which has a heel portion adapted to form a bottom for the counter and a portion to gin of the lining unattached to the sole a distance approximating the length of the counter wings, turning the shoe right side out, providing a previously molded counter having a bottom piece of a length to extend beyond the heel breast line of the finished shoe, permanently securing the ends of the wings of the counter projecting beyond'the heel breast line to said bottom piece in their final position to prevent lateral spreading of the counter, positioning the counter between the upper and the lining, turning out and securing the marginal edge of the lining on the bottom piece of the counter and then relasting the shoe and finishing it in the usual manner, including attaching a heel.

7. That improvement in the art of making shoes which consists in sewing a shoe upper and lining to a sole forwardly of the heel breast with the lining left unattached to the sole a distance approximating the length of the counter wings, withdrawing the lastand turning the shoe right side out, permanently securing a previously molded counter to a previously molded heel seat and shankniember in the relative positions which they are to assume in the finished shoe, positioning said assembled counter and PAUL F. W. 'C. KRIPPENDORF.

heel seat and shank member in the heel end i 

